Post-mortem due to be carried out on skeletal remains found in field near Hucknall

A post-mortem is due to be carried out to determine the identity of the person found in a field in Sutton-in-Ashfield.

Officers were called to Coxmoor Road, which is around seven miles from Hucknall, on Wednesday 26 April after a member of the public came across a number of bones.

Specialist officers working alongside scientists have been at the site for two weeks and will continue to be there for the next few days.

Skeletal remains have now been removed from the site and a post-mortem is due to be carried out to determine the identity of the person and cause of death.

A large cordon is still in place at the site, but officers anticipate it will be reduced over the coming days.

Superintendent for the County, Claire Rukas said: "Obviously, a number of people have raised concerns about the ongoing situation, and I appreciate this is difficult for the community leaving room for speculation.

"We always knew this was going to be a complicated scene to manage and we have had a whole range of scientists working up there over the course of the last two weeks including bone specialists and forensic archaeologists.

"Their work must be coordinated, and we must approach it in a meticulous way. We perhaps did not think it would take as long as it has, but it is important the approach we take is a thorough one.

"I would like to reassure people that there is nothing to indicate there is more than one person buried in this area.

"We have now recovered skeletal remains and we now move into what will be a staged post-mortem exercise.

"Naturally there will be a number of experts involved in this process again as we work hard to identify the person and also establish the circumstances surrounding their death.

"It is important for me to stress that this is also likely to take us a few more days yet.

"Because of the work we have done so far, we anticipate that we will be able to reduce the scene at Coxmoor Road but there will still be a scene remaining that will be guarded by police officers for several days yet while the other work I have described is ongoing.

"We would like to thank the public for their patience. We know the effect this investigation will have had on residents living in the area.

"As always, we will keep you updated as this complex investigation develops."